The day drinkers and fresh faces colliding as they entered into the Big Ass Stadium Tour were welcomed with cool air, natural lighting from the glass roof of AT&T Stadium and country tunes by the up-and-coming Chandler Walters, echoing throughout the building as it started to fill with people. To follow would be performances from some country crossover favorites: Sierra Ferrell's iconic blend of the bohemian, old country, fairy girl costumes and sultry style; then Jelly Roll with his iconic face tattoos, backward ballcap, never-ending smile and soul. It culminated in a performance by Post Malone, the hometown hero, complete with his red cup, dance moves that would make a cowboy blush, and a band decked out in Cowboys jerseys. It felt like a homecoming for the fans as much as it was for Malone — a family welcoming to everyone.
Below are our favorite moments. And some bad ones, too. Sierra Ferrell: From Deep Ellum to Cowboys Stadium (and Joe Jonas)
Sierra Ferrell is an underground favorite in the Americana scene, and her short six-song set was packed with surprises. An electric cover of “Me and Bobby McGee,” in which Ferrell embodied the spirit of Janis Joplin while exuding vocal prowess, wielding a combination of power and grit, sweetness and finesse, wrapped in her timeless West Virginia drawl. The biggest surprise was when her duet partner Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers appeared on stage to belt out a passionate tribute to Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” before she burned up the fiddle and the crowd with her original tune "Fox Hunt” to close out her set.
Dallas has seen Ferrell only a handful of times, first in late 2021 at Deep Ellum’s Club Dada and then again for a record-signing orchestrated by the late Chris Penn of Good Records, who launched a signature series of exclusive album presses, one of which was Long Time Coming, Ferrell’s debut. The days of seeing Ferrell in a small club may be long gone as she played at a sold-out AT&T Stadium, but the next time she comes to town, it will be worth the ticket price. Jelly Roll, the Preacher With a Killer Band, and Now Cowboys Fan
Just off of a performance at the ACM Awards the night before, Jelly Roll came on stage with the presence of a wayward son turned musical preacher. Loud, soulful and full of energy, he was quick to show off his band and thrilled to conjure solos from Pork Chop, his drummer. His band was killer, executing heavy metal moments and modern country, and included incredible backup singers, one of whom was named Ms. Peaches, hailing from Mesquite. Toward the end of Jelly’s set was a medley of covers that got the entire audience singing “y’all gonna make me lose my mind,” sandwiched between Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me" and Miley Cyrus' “Flowers.” The latter, which he dedicated to his wife, was an odd move considering it is a quintessential single life, self-empowerment breakup anthem.
Although Jelly's tone seemed a bit forced at times, the crowd couldn’t help but cheer, maybe its loudest all night, when he said, “Praise the Lord in the house of the Cowboys!” Later, when he came out to sing a tune with Malone, Malone gave him a dig for being a Titans fan. It was then and there in front of whatever God and everybody that Jelly converted, stating, “I’m a Cowboys fan now!” The Void of a Big, Black Screen Before Show Time
Staring into the big, black void of a 160-foot-wide by 72-foot-high screen, one of the world’s largest, seemed like a waste of an excellent resource while also being a massive and discomforting eyesore that hovered above center field. This, a screen that could get even the nosebleed seats fully engaged in the opening acts, remained off for the first few hours of the show. It wasn’t until minutes before Malone’s entrance that the screens flickered on, and the entire stadium went wild. From then on, the crowd was locked in, chanting “Posty!” from the top of their lungs until well after Malone entered, as his charisma and character unfolded throughout the night. Stage and Pyrotechnics
The opening acts had used the runway, but it didn’t come to life until the big screen at AT&T Stadium began to glow and Malone appeared for his headlining slot. When the lights dimmed, the runway became a track with red flares running down the center strip. Within the first few songs of his set, fireworks were shooting off fountains of red, white and blue sparks. Massive flame towers across the front and back of the stage produced heat that could be felt from the top of the stadium. Surprise stages and flame units were left secret until key moments in the finale, showing off the incredible work of a comprehensive team backed by Stufish, Pyrotecnico, Dannah Gottlieb and a slew of other contributors responsible for some of the most spectacular, state-of-the-art design in the live music industry, complete with a lighting display that created moments of surrealism. Basking in the Glory of Homecoming
From the moment he entered the stage, Malone displayed a deep sense of glory and gratitude, immediately having to push on his eyes as tears seemed to well up after addressing the crowd with a “Dallas Fucking Texas!” He would revel in awe-inspiring energy throughout the night, provided by a decade of dedicated fans, family and grind. The homecoming spirit was elevated even further when his father, Richard Post, who had worked at both the new and previous home of the Dallas Cowboys for nearly 14 years, joined him on stage, where Malone handed him his mic. With a frazzled look from his dad, and an off mic, “What am I supposed to say?” toward Posty, the words began to flow, starting with “I can’t tell you how proud we are,” and ending with, “Thank you all, Let's go Cowboys!”
Posty Loves His Cigs
Malone had two main props throughout the night: a red cup and a cigarette, real ones. During the first song, “Texas Tea,” Malone poured out a portion of his drink on stage, a gesture of respect typically made out of reverence for those friends who have passed, and one in which the audience celebrated in cheers of solidarity. Posty, a dedicated smoker, has been known for taking his "fuck you money," lyrics from “Wrong Ones,” another killer track, and using it to pay fines for smoking indoors. As fun as that seems, smoking does take its toll and often leaves the charming entertainer out of breath, mouth grill glistening in the stage lights as he tries to regain stamina after every song. Running around a stadium and singing your heart out while chain-smoking is quite a feat.
An Intimate Moment With Michael Myers
About halfway into the show, Malone posted up at the end of the runway, which stretched nearly to the center field. The spotlight was shining on him, the single mic stand waiting and then he was handed his legendary “Myers” Martin D-18 acoustic, nicknamed for the bright blue stencil of the Halloween franchise villain on the front body of the guitar. Malone was about to launch into a solo acoustic version of “What Don’t Belong to Me,” but Myers had other plans. The guitar was handed off horribly out of tune. Malone's attempts to tune by ear were derailed, and he began to use the digital tuner clipped on the guitar's headstock. “What is going on?! It won’t stay on E!” Minutes passed to a laughing but charmed crowd as he bantered his way through, claiming this was “the experimental part of the show” and asking the guitar tech if he had just put the E string on. After some string stretching and hard strumming, the tuning stayed intact and the audience was sucked back in, getting a well-earned beautiful vocal from Malone, an intimate moment they didn't know they were waiting for, which eventually led to the entire stadium singing along with the sweet birdsong oohs at the end of "Feeling Whitney." Absolutely heart-melting.
The Finale
After Ferrell showed up again to sing with him on “Never Love You Again,” the show's intimate moments slowly began to build toward an unforgettable climax, moving through songs like “Circles” and “White Iverson,” which Malone introduced as “the only good song I’ve ever written.”
Malone paused several times to express his gratitude and dedicated songs to those who have had broken hearts and been in pain, especially those who have felt outcast. The inclusive energy became ecstatic during “Rockstar,” as the band played at its heaviest all night with pyrotechnics that sounded like mortars concussing with the band’s hits and Malone’s screams. But it wasn’t until "Sunflower" that the full array of stage effects was revealed, and surprise bursts of flames came from screens set up around the stadium, absolutely delighting fans. The song ended in an extended jam incorporating solo features for fiddle, guitar and keys. It concluded when Malone appeared at the opposite side of the stadium on a second stage, closing the show with a powerful rendition of “Congratulations.”
Malone gave it everything he had, pouring his heart out for fans new and old with incredible charisma, charm, never-ending stage presence, authenticity and rawness. His gratitude for his crew, family and fans, and his relaxed nature resulted in a massive production for his team and hometown to be proud of.
